Every Thursday evening, the society meets in St Andrews Church in Sandyford, where it kicks off with an intermediates class at 6pm. If you have never done swing or any type of dance, don’t worry because beginners starts right after at 7:30pm. Each hour-long class comes with an hour of social dancing - essentially, you can dance and catch-up with your friends. Lindy hop is the society’s main offering, and it’s such an easy one to pick up, with super fun moves whether you’re a beginner or an experienced dancer. (Bonus points for all the fun names like swing outs, sugar pushes, mini dips!)
The reason I love the Swing Dance Society so much is because it all feels so casual. The society is open to anyone regardless of gender, age, and whether you want to lead or follow. It’s a such a tight-knit club where friends are easy to make but you are free to give as much commitment as you want. As I’ve been really busy this year, I’ve been going on and off, but I always feel welcome as soon as I step into the room. Classes are either pay-as-you-go for only £4 for a class and social dancing, or for a little discount, you can buy block passes on the club site so it’s super affordable for when you decide to go. Your first class is also free!
Give swing dance a go as I’m sure it’ll take your breath away!
As another perk, Swing Dance Society also runs socials. They have plans for a movie night and circus class, and every month they attend Revolucion de Swing, a social dancing event held by local organisation Swing Tyne. On the second Thursday of every month, there is a taster class of a new style (past months have been Balboa, Charleston, etc) between 6-8pm. Then everyone packs up and heads to Revolucion de Cuba, where tons of people in the local swing dance community meet for a nice night out. If you want an opportunity to dress up and get twirled around, this is your night!
So if you fancy a spin, give swing dance a go as I’m sure it’ll take your breath away. (Literally, it’s a free workout!) I love it because I just get to switch off and have a good time with my friends, and I’m sure you will too.
